Just can't believe airline tx prices to hi

[bastroum]

My wife and I have been traveling to Hawaii (several times per year) since 2000. We've used mostly Hawaiian Miles. However, since I have semi-retired we have been paying for the tickets lately. The prices are so much higher than they have ever been. From Las Vegas we could routinely fly RT to either HNL or OGG for between $500 and $700 pp. or 17,500 Hawaiian Miles. Now the flights are between $750 and $900 pp. or 25,000 to 40,000 Hawaiian Miles. This has to be a lack of competition on the routes. We can find reasonable ticket fares to almost any other destination in the U.S. I guess we're no longer going to travel to HI as often as we did.

 

[artringwald]

They certainly can't say the prices have gone up because of the cost of fuel.

 

[sjsharkie]

My wife and I have been traveling to Hawaii (several times per year) since 2000. We've used mostly Hawaiian Miles. However, since I have semi-retired we have been paying for the tickets lately. The prices are so much higher than they have ever been. From Las Vegas we could routinely fly RT to either HNL or OGG for between $500 and $700 pp. or 17,500 Hawaiian Miles. Now the flights are between $750 and $900 pp. or 25,000 to 40,000 Hawaiian Miles. This has to be a lack of competition on the routes. We can find reasonable ticket fares to almost any other destination in the U.S. I guess we're no longer going to travel to HI as often as we did.

What flights you are looking for and when you look for them all factor in to the process. Virgin America just entered the HI market this past year and they've had sales recently? Are you flexible in your travel dates and carrier?

I just checked Kayak for a random Wednesday in March (since weekdays are usually cheaper) and I can easily get a $500-$600 ticket on any carrier for LAS-OGG. LAS-HNL is even cheaper -- I can go for $400-$500 nonstop if I am willing to fly Allegiant (ech!) on certain dates.

Over the last couple of years, seats from the mainland have increased with the addition of new HI service from Allegiant and Virgin America.

-ryan

 

[bastroum]

What flights you are looking for and when you look for them all factor in to the process. Virgin America just entered the HI market this past year and they've had sales recently? Are you flexible in your travel dates and carrier?

I just checked Kayak for a random Wednesday in March (since weekdays are usually cheaper) and I can easily get a $500-$600 ticket on any carrier for LAS-OGG. LAS-HNL is even cheaper -- I can go for $400-$500 nonstop if I am willing to fly Allegiant (ech!) on certain dates.

Over the last couple of years, seats from the mainland have increased with the addition of new HI service from Allegiant and Virgin America.

-ryan

Allegiant just cancelled their Hawaii service effective this summer. Best I could do for OGG in April 10-22, 2015 was $725pp on Hawaiian. Now looking for July 16-Aug 06 for HNL and best $ for a non red eye is $900.

 

[silentg]

Allegiant just cancelled their Hawaii service effective this summer. Best I could do for OGG in April 10-22, 2015 was $725pp on Hawaiian. Now looking for July 16-Aug 06 for HNL and best $ for a non red eye is $900.

I am looking into Alaska Airlines, I found the Itinery i want, just waiting for the holidays to be over, and maintence bills to be paid. Hope to have some mileage points to use for part of the trip. One thing at a time! 2016 travel is exciting starting right after Christmas...as long as we stay healthy! Merry Christmas Tug Friends...and a Happy 2016!
Silentg

 

[BocaBoy]

From Las Vegas we could routinely fly RT to either HNL or OGG for between $500 and $700 pp. or 17,500 Hawaiian Miles.

You could fly R/T from Vegas to Hawaii on Hawaiian Airlines for 17,500 miles? I find that hard to believe as an inter-island one-way ticket is 7,500 miles. Don't you mean one-way for 17,500 miles?

 

[bastroum]

You could fly R/T from Vegas to Hawaii on Hawaiian Airlines for 17,500 miles? I find that hard to believe as an inter-island one-way ticket is 7,500 miles. Don't you mean one-way for 17,500 miles?

You're correct. I meant to write each way. Today when I checked Hawaiian, that trip is 80,000 and 100,000 miles depending on the time.

 

[DeniseM]

You're correct. I meant to write each way. Today when I checked Hawaiian, that trip is 80,000 and 100,000 miles depending on the time.

That can't be for coach seats? And I'm guessing that it's for dates that are high season, and/or for dates that aren't very far off.

To get the lowest fare with FF miles, you need to book about 11 mos. in advance, as soon as the booking window opens for your dates.

*I just checked - I can book California to Hawaii for 35,000 mi. round trip, for September. But from Las Vegas, it is 50,000 miles. But that is round-trip, not one way.

 

[bastroum]

That can't be for coach seats? And I'm guessing that it's for dates that are high season, and/or for dates that aren't very far off.

To get the lowest fare with FF miles, you need to book about 11 mos. in advance, as soon as the booking window opens for your dates.

*I just checked - I can book California to Hawaii for 35,000 mi. round trip, for September. Since you are retired, you should go off-season, and book early.

I do. Those are coach seats in July. I go to HI 3 to 4 times a year, can't always go in off season!

 

[DeniseM]

I do. Those are coach seats in July. I go to HI 3 to 4 times a year, can't always go in off season!

July is high-high season, but you are late to the party to book July.

For the lowest FF miles, you have to book at about 11 mos. out. For example, for July 1, 2016, you should have booked around Aug. 1, 2015.

 

[bastroum]

July is high-high season, but you are late to the party to book July.

For the lowest FF miles, you have to book at about 11 mos. out. For example, for July 1, 2016, you should have booked around Aug. 1, 2015.

You're right. However, I just got the II trade two weeks ago.

 

[DeniseM]

Las Vegas to Oahu ranges from 35,000 to 47,5000 FF miles, round trip for the 4th of July week, so I think you are reading the info. wrong.

 

[bastroum]

Las Vegas to Oahu ranges from 35,000 to 47,5000 FF miles, round trip for the 4th of July week, so I think you are reading the info. wrong.

Thanks, I'll check again when I get home. My dates are July 16-Aug 6 to HNL.

 

[DeniseM]

Thanks, I'll check again when I get home. My dates are July 16-Aug 6 to HNL.

The best price is 47,500 mi. round trip for July 17th.

 

[bastroum]

Las Vegas to Oahu ranges from 35,000 to 47,5000 FF miles, round trip for the 4th of July week, so I think you are reading the info. wrong.

Thanks again Denise for double checking. I was looking on the website at 4 in the morning. Couldn't sleep.

 

[DeniseM]

Thanks again Denise for double checking. I was looking on the website at 4 in the morning. Couldn't sleep.

That explains it!

 

[tompalm]

If you can travel off season, when the kids are in school, the tickets are a lot cheaper. Last year we traveled in May for $350 round trip to Vegas from Hawaii and got free bag check with my Hawaiian Airlines credit card. I am looking at May 2016 and see prices at $400 RT. To get those rates, you need to be flexible to travel any day and hunt for tickets when those fares are available.

 

[Timeshare Von]

I am looking into Alaska Airlines, I found the Itinery i want, just waiting for the holidays to be over, and maintence bills to be paid. Hope to have some mileage points to use for part of the trip. One thing at a time! 2016 travel is exciting starting right after Christmas...as long as we stay healthy! Merry Christmas Tug Friends...and a Happy 2016!
Silentg

We're flying to Hawaii from Milwaukee on Alaska Airlines! Not the most desirable schedule, but the price was right ($750pp for late January).

 

[bastroum]

I've re-checked all the prices for these Las Vegas to Hawaii flights and Denise is correct. If you want a good fare you need to fly off season. In the past one could find good fares (sometimes) during peak times, but not now. For the days I want to fly in July the fares are $800 round trip. I just checked January 9 returning January 30 (only 2 weeks away) and the same trip is $550.

 

[cgeidl]

Interisland RT are exhorbant

We were just looking at RT fares to Oahu. We saw a Hawaiian air special RT from Toronto for $419 .when we were recently in Hawaii the Hawaiian air interisland=d fares were over $300 between islands on 45 minute trips. Competition is needed.
We found Hawaii very busy from November 14th until December 5th during a so called slack period. Prices except Costco and lying on the beach are up everywhere.
We went to two Islands and usually do but used FF Miles on two of the legs but probably will only go to one island in the future until fares go down.
We love the Aloha spirit. Even drivers in very heavy traffic let the other person in and very little beeping of horns. Guess good weather helps make good spirits.

 

[Tamaradarann]

Hawaiian Airlines Companion Ticket Works

We have been using Hawaiian Airlines Companion Tickets (my husband and I both have Hawaiian Airline Credit Cards) from New York JFK to Honolulu for the last couple of years and have been getting direct flights round trip for two people for between $1200 - $1500. That is about $600-$750 per person for 10,000 miles of flying. We have the 70,000 mile sign-up bonus miles and the actual 40,000 flying miles now to use for future use.

We do book our flights early though not exactly 11 months ahead. These are not the lowest prices we could have gotten since we did have criteria for when we wanted to go. If we wanted the lowest price we could have had the two round trip tickets for about $1000.

 

[MichaelColey]

When we were recently in Hawaii the Hawaiian air interisland fares were over $300 between islands on 45 minute trips.

Most interisland flights we've looked at have been around $75-$125 one way, even when not purchased very far in advance.

We usually just use American Airlines miles, as it's only 5k miles one way.

Hawaiian does have competition on some interisland routes, and pricing isn't significantly cheaper on those.

 

[stratcats]

I love flying Alaska Air compared to Hawaiian Air. We live on the Big Island and will drive to Kona (about 2.5 hours) rather than fly to Honolulu and go via Hawaiian. Everyone at Alaska seems to like their job rather than being bothered if you ask for something. Several drink services as well.

Here's another tip - if you get an Alaska Air credit card ($75 a year), you get a $99 companion fare once a year PLUS a free bag for each person booked on your itinerary.

My husband I just flew round trip from Kona to Orlando for about $720 total for BOTH of us - caught during a sale. Not a bad deal considering that the usual fare is closer to $1000 each.

 

[Tamaradarann]

Alaska Airline versus Hawaiian Airlines Destinations

I love flying Alaska Air compared to Hawaiian Air. We live on the Big Island and will drive to Kona (about 2.5 hours) rather than fly to Honolulu and go via Hawaiian. Everyone at Alaska seems to like their job rather than being bothered if you ask for something. Several drink services as well.

Here's another tip - if you get an Alaska Air credit card ($75 a year), you get a $99 companion fare once a year PLUS a free bag for each person booked on your itinerary.

My husband I just flew round trip from Kona to Orlando for about $720 total for BOTH of us - caught during a sale. Not a bad deal considering that the usual fare is closer to $1000 each.

The choice for us is the destinations of the airlines. I do like the Alaska Airlines companion ticket system better than the Hawaiian Airline System. However, unlike your trip the Hawaiian Airlines actually give us better direct flights. We want to fly in and out of Honolulu since that is our timeshare destination. Hawaiian Airlines flies direct to Honolulu out of JFK which is actually on Long Island where we live so no bridges or tunnels to cross. Alaska Airlines flies out of Newark which is on the other side of NY City and has 2 bridges and tunnels to cross. We flew Alaska airlines out of Newark to Honolulu once, and had to change twice in the State of Washington. This was an American Airlines miles flight and we wanted a flight that would be within our miles budget. We flew back using American Airlines miles on Hawaiian Airlines to JFK and had to only change in Las Vegas. We have been Hawaiian Airlines customers since.

 

[NTP66]

I'd have gone the Alaska Airlines route if they had any appealing routes from PHL, but they don't. PHL is an American hub, and since I already fly American 100% of the time, opted to simply start churning Citi AAdvantage Platinum cards to basically book three tickets every other trip for free and get much better flights with fewer stops.